Rosa Dávila appeals for Tenerife’s integration into the Oceans Alliance on Tuesday

Tenerife will officially request UNESCO for its inclusion in the Oceans Alliance and invites the Canary Islands Government to participate in this global pact as Cape Verde has already done, being integrated into the organization as an Oceanic nation. Additionally, the Island’s council announces the launch of a network of over 5,000 volunteers to take care of the Island’s coastline. The island’s president, Rosa Dávila, complements this commitment to sustainability, ecology, and respect for the environment by promoting the revival, after two decades, of the marine reserves project in Teno and Anaga, in this case with an integrated management concept that could unify both areas and facilitate processing.

Rosa Dávila believes that joining the Oceans Alliance “will be a historic decision for Tenerife and for all individuals committed to the health and conservation of our seas.” She points out that “the Alliance promoted by UNESCO represents a global network of countries, organizations, and communities united by a common cause: the protection of our oceans.” The island’s president considers that “we cannot turn our backs on the oceans, which are the backbone of life on our planet, as they regulate the climate, provide food and resources, and are home to incredible biodiversity.” However, she summarizes, “they face unprecedented threats from pollution, overfishing, and climate change.”

Rosa Dávila has always shown her ecological awareness during her career in politics. While heading the Department of Environment in the Santa Cruz City Council, she advocated for the protection of the Anaga Rural Park. She has clearly stated her opposition to the Fonsalía Port project and declared that La Tejita is a symbol for Tenerife. Additionally, for the first time in the island’s history, she will implement a tourist tax in protected natural areas.

Sylvia Earled and Jane Goodall are two major global references in nature conservation and its species. Both environmental activists have acknowledged and defended the rich biodiversity that Tenerife hosts.

Dávila, a lover of hiking and the sea, takes on “the commitment to contribute to caring for and preserving our natural spaces with measures such as the tourist tax.” She sees her initiative to be part of the Oceans Alliance as “a determined commitment to the world to work, alongside civil society, in protecting the Tenerife coastline.”

The island’s president includes in her commitment to lead efforts and promote a culture of conservation and sustainability the reinforcement of the Office of Environmental Participation and Volunteering, which is celebrating twenty years since its establishment. During this time, it has managed to engage over 50,000 residents of Tenerife in environmental care. She emphasizes the promotion of a program of 400 activities per year with the aim of doubling the average number of volunteers to reach 10,000 people.

She highlights the creation of a network that will act on the coast of Tenerife, composed of public and private entities interested in the conservation of marine habitats. In Dávila’s opinion, “our Island, located in the Atlantic, has lived in close connection with the sea since time immemorial.” She stresses: “Our coasts provide us with sustenance, tourism, and a unique cultural identity. But it also entails a huge responsibility.”

“Joining the Oceans Alliance,” explains Dávila, “is not just a symbolic commitment but a call to action because it is our duty to promote sustainable practices, protect marine areas, reduce pollution, and support research that allows us to better understand and preserve these vital ecosystems.”

In this regard, she highlights that Tenerife is home to Europe’s first marine sanctuary and the world’s third, as well as being a Whale Heritage Site, a distinction granted by the World Cetacean Alliance. Throughout the year, 26 of the over 79 species inhabiting the planet pass through Canary Islands, such as dolphins, orcas.